Short-term housing offers extra help for Manchester rough sleepers

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Rough sleepers in Manchester are being offered support to come off the streets and move into short-term housing under a new service launched by Sanctuary Supported Living (SSL).

Under an agreement with Manchester City Council as part of its Rough Sleepers Initiative, SSL has increased the capacity of its Victoria House supported housing service for homeless people to take on a further eight clients.

Divided separately among six men and two women, the extra spaces will provide short-term housing of up to five nights for people sleeping rough in the city or those who have just been released from prison and have no secure accommodation ready.

The extra spaces will be offered alongside Victoria House’s existing supported housing, which provides longer-term accommodation to prepare people for living independently and maintaining their own home.

Clients of the new, short-term housing will benefit from 24-hour support from SSL project workers referred through other partners in the Rough Sleepers Initiative.

Clients will be supported by these project workers to find and prepare for more settled accommodation and avoid a return to homelessness.

SSL deputy local service manager Louise Denbigh said: ““We’ve had great support from the building’s landlord, Irwell Valley Homes.

“Consequently, we’ve been able to start getting people off the street and into temporary housing while we try and find somewhere more long-term for them, such as a supported housing tenancy in Victoria House or accommodation elsewhere.

“This will be a great step in cutting down the amount of time someone who’s sleeping rough has to spend on the street.”

Deputy Council leader Sue Murphy added: “In spite of the immense challenge we face in trying to combat homelessness, initiatives such as this are tangible examples of the positive impact we can make.

“We wholeheartedly welcome the additional support Sanctuary Supported Living will be able to offer at Victoria House, helping some of the most vulnerable members of society at risk of homelessness.

“There is no doubt homelessness is an incredibly complex issue but with the help of our dedicated partners we are determined to ensure as many people as possible can access the support they need to get their lives back on track.”

Victoria House residents have also benefited from a donation of 30 mattresses, provided by Dreams, the UK’s leading bed specialist, and organised by Sanctuary’s community investment programme.